Many passenger vehicles now incorporate an integrated communication system. A Vehicle Communication Unit (VCU) used in conjunction with a Wide Area Network (WAN) such as a cellular telephone network or a satellite communication system allows for a variety of fee-based subscription services to be provided in a mobile environment. The VCU is typically a mobile vehicle communication device including a cellular radio, satellite transceiver and global positioning capabilities. Communication through a carrier service may be initiated at the VCU at turn-on or through manual or voice command phone number entry. A radio communication link is established between the VCU and a Wide Area Network (WAN) using a node of the WAN in the vicinity of the VCU.
In cellular telephone systems, a node is commonly referred to as a “cellular base station.” Once the radio communication link between the VCU and the cellular base station has been established, the base station then utilizes a combination of additional cellular base stations, land line networks, and possibly satellite systems to connect the VCU to the dialed telephone number.
Some VCU devices additionally incorporate a satellite radio receiver for receiving data such as global positioning system (GPS) location data, digital radio broadcasts and other data for various subscription services. A satellite transceiver system implemented in a VCU usually has a limited data throughput, but in practice is typically used just for receiving data from a central server, rather than for a two-way communication. A satellite radio broadcast may provide the same data simultaneously to many clients for a subscription service in a much more efficient manner than a cellular network, for example. However, the maximum bandwidth of a satellite system limits the amount of data that may be broadcast to a vehicle in real-time and still be processed without compromises in system response times.
In many urban regions where subscribers of fee-based services reside, there are significant traffic incidents. In many cities, the only traffic information available is provided by a traffic-news radio station broadcast, often delivered live from a helicopter-based reporter. However, some large metropolitan municipalities have installed electronic monitoring devices in roadbeds and near roadways to track traffic density and other traffic congestion metrics, although such electronic monitoring systems are usually not able to provide other real-time traffic information such as accident and stalled vehicle location reports. Radio reports may be infrequent or may not concern the section of city or roadway where a driver is actually driving, preventing practical real-time traffic updates for many commuters. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a method and system for real-time traffic updates to a vehicle that would overcome these and other disadvantages.